Patent US2028869A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3874783A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3874783A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Numerical aperture expansion in fiber optic devices
Assignee: American Optical Corp
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Filing: 1974-03-08
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Granted: 1975-04-01
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Expires: 1994-03-08
Abstract
Abstract A fiber optic device comprised of a pair of bundles of lightconducting optical fibers each having light-receiving and lightemitting opposite end faces. A light-emitting face of one bundle and a light-receiving face of the other bundle are coupled together unsymmetrically with respect to axes of correspondingly interfacially related fibers of the two bundles wherewith light entering the uncoupled light-receiving face of the one bundle at a given numerical aperture will be emitted from the uncoupled light-emitting face of the other bundle at an angular spread of larger numerical aperture than that of the entering light.
Inventors
- 👤 Henry B Cole
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 10:39
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/04; G02B6/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
187 words
A fiber optic device having light-receiving and lightemitting oppositely disposed faces, one face having a different numerical aperture than the other, said device comprising: a coupled together pair of bundles of tightly juxtapositioned light-conducting fibers, the fibers of each of said bundles individually comprising a core of high refractive index material and a cladding of material having a lower index of refraction than said core wherewith opposite end faces of said fibers are individually provided with a numerical aperture determined by the difference in refractive index between said core and cladding and said end faces in each of said bundles collectively providing the respective bundle faces with corresponding numerical apertures; the fibers of one of said bundles having an appreciably larger numerical aperture than the fibers of the remaining bundle; and the plane of a light-receiving face of one bundle and that of a light emitting face of the other bundle cutting corresponding fibers of said pair on a bias and said biasing faces being optically joined together to further expand said differential of numerical aperture of said oppositely disposed lightreceiving and light-emitting faces of said device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
187 words
A fiber optic device having light-receiving and lightemitting oppositely disposed faces, one face having a different numerical aperture than the other, said device comprising: a coupled together pair of bundles of tightly juxtapositioned light-conducting fibers, the fibers of each of said bundles individually comprising a core of high refractive index material and a cladding of material having a lower index of refraction than said core wherewith opposite end faces of said fibers are individually provided with a numerical aperture determined by the difference in refractive index between said core and cladding and said end faces in each of said bundles collectively providing the respective bundle faces with corresponding numerical apertures; the fibers of one of said bundles having an appreciably larger numerical aperture than the fibers of the remaining bundle; and the plane of a light-receiving face of one bundle and that of a light emitting face of the other bundle cutting corresponding fibers of said pair on a bias and said biasing faces being optically joined together to further expand said differential of numerical aperture of said oppositely disposed lightreceiving and light-emitting faces of said device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
198 words
A fiber optic device having light-conducting and light-emitting oppositely disposed faces, one face having a different numerical aperture than the other, said device comprising: a coupled together pair of bundles of tightly juxtapositioned light-conducting fibers, the fibers of said bundles individually comprising a core of high refractive index material and a cladding of material having a lower index of refraction than said core wherewith opposite end faces of said fibers are individually provided with a numerical aperture determined by the difference in refractive index between said core and cladding and said end faces in each of said bundles collectively providing the respective bundle faces with corresponding numerical apertures; each of the fibers of one of said bundles being longitudinally tapered thereby providing the bundle with opposite end faces of different sizes; the other bundle having opposite end faces of substantially equal size; and the larger of said faces of said bundle of tapered fibers and one face of said other bundle of fibers being optically interfacially coupled together, at least one of said coupled faces being cut on a bias across its respective fibers to render the uncoupled oppositely disposed faces of said bundles of different numerical aperture.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
198 words
A fiber optic device having light-conducting and light-emitting oppositely disposed faces, one face having a different numerical aperture than the other, said device comprising: a coupled together pair of bundles of tightly juxtapositioned light-conducting fibers, the fibers of said bundles individually comprising a core of high refractive index material and a cladding of material having a lower index of refraction than said core wherewith opposite end faces of said fibers are individually provided with a numerical aperture determined by the difference in refractive index between said core and cladding and said end faces in each of said bundles collectively providing the respective bundle faces with corresponding numerical apertures; each of the fibers of one of said bundles being longitudinally tapered thereby providing the bundle with opposite end faces of different sizes; the other bundle having opposite end faces of substantially equal size; and the larger of said faces of said bundle of tapered fibers and one face of said other bundle of fibers being optically interfacially coupled together, at least one of said coupled faces being cut on a bias across its respective fibers to render the uncoupled oppositely disposed faces of said bundles of different numerical aperture.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A fiber optic device according to claim 2 wherein the larger of said faces of said bundle of tapered fibers is cut on a bias across its respective fibers at said interfacial coupling of said pair of bundles.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A fiber optic device according to claim 2 wherein one face of said bundle having opposite end faces of substantially equal sizes is cut on a bias across its respective fibers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A fiber optic device according to claim 2 wherein both the large face of said bundle of tapered fibers and said one face of said other bundle are cut on a bias across their respective fibers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-31 | 1978-09-30 | 1979-04-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-31 | 1982-09-30 | 1983-04-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-31 | 1986-09-30 | 1987-04-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |